Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer TJ Ohlemeier died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 while arresting a COVID positive DUI driver at 13800 W. 53rd Street North in Maize.
Officer Ohlemeier had served with the Colwich Police Department for over three years. He had previously served with the Derby Police Department for 20 years, the Clearwater Police Department for eight years, and the Caldwell Police Department for over one year.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Police Officer Theodore James Ohlemeier died on December 8, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 58.
He is one of 884 officers honored here.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KS-5F6E6F0A- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Police Officer Ohlemeier gave the Colwich Police Department 33 years.
Thank you for your service to the Colwich community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Ohlemeier.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Theodore James Ohlemeier is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In KS, 14 of 335 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.2% of this state's fallen. That is 4.9 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Theodore James Ohlemeier's cause is highlighted.
How Theodore James Ohlemeier Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Theodore James Ohlemeier is highlighted in Dec.